Shround attachment for containers



March 1, 1932. H. STEPHENS 1,847,277

SHROUD ATTACHMENT FOR CONTAINERS Filed Nov. 26, 1929 Patented Mar. 1,1932 team? UNEED STATES. PATEN OFFICE HERBERT STEPHENS, OF ARLINGTON,ltIASSACI-IUSETTS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TO THE MOXIECOMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS SHROUDATTACHMENT FOR CONTAINERS Application filed November 26, 1929. SerialNo. 409,975.

This invention relates to attachments for bottles and other containersand it has for its object to provide a shroud attachment for bottles orlike containers such as are used for holding a syrup, extract, or otherliquid used as a base in preparing beverages.

At the present time it is common practice with manufacturers of syrups,extracts, and the like, from which beverages are made, to

ship the same in bulk in rather large glass jugs or bottles and it isalso common practice at the present time to equip soda water fountainsand other soft drink dispensing establishments, with a dispensingapparatus including a bowl within the upper end of which one of thebottles or jugs just referred to is seated in an inverted position so asto maintain a supply of syrup or the like within the bowl, the latterbeing provided at its lower end with a faucet by means of which aquantity of the syrup or the like can be delivered from the bowl into aglass to be mixed with soda water and dispensed to a customer.

Usually the glass bottles or jugs referred to become soiled and dirtyduring the operation of filling; through handling, or otherwise, so asto present an unattractive appearance when incorporated in thedispensing apparatus referred to. The jug or bottle of a dispensingapparatus of the kind referred to is the most prominent feature thereofand usually it is, itself, plain and unattractive. Also, a dispensingapparatus of the kind referred to usually occupies a prominent positionupon the counter directly in front of customers and for the reasons justpointed out has heretofore presented an unattractive, and sometimessoiled, insanitary, appearance.

My invention provides an inexpensive and attractive shroud or jacketattachment for covering containers of the kind referred to, 45 and itconsists of a tubular shroud, preferably made from stifl sheet material,that is adapted to be telescopically fitted upon the i exterior of thecontainer so as to inclose the same and hide it from View, thereby toimprove the appearance of the apparatus in which the container isincorporated, means being preferably provided on said shroud forsupporting the latterin its operative position with respect to thecontainer.

Other features of my invention are hereinafter pointed out.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure l is a side elevation, partly broken away and in section, of adispensing apparatus including a container provided with a shroudattachment constructed in accordance with my invention.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the apparatus shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 illustrates the construction of the opposite ends of the stripof sheet material constituting the major portion of my new shroudattachment.

Figure 4 is an elevation of a portion of the inner side of theattachment shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3.

Figure 5 is a rear elevation of a portion of a shroud attachmentillustrating another embodiment of the invention.

Figure 6 is a top plan view of a bottle or container having appliedthereto a shroud attachment embodying another form of my invention.

Figure 7 is a side elevation of the upper portion of the bottle andshroud shown in Figure 6.

Figure 8 is afragmentary elevation illustrating a modification.

At soda water counters and other places where soft drinks are dispensedit is customary to provide a counter dispensing apparatus including abase 1 supporting a bowl 2 within the top of which is seated a glassbottle or the like 3 holding a main supply of syrup, extract or thelike, from which beverages are prepared. Also, it is old to pro- ETIvide the chime of the bowl 2 with a rubber ring 4; on which the bottle 3is seated in an inverted position so that its neck or spout 5 extendsdownwardly into the bowl 2 which latter serves as an auxiliary reservoirfrom which measured quantities of the syrup or ex tract are withdrawnthrough a faucet 6 into glasses or tumblers within which the beverage isprepared.

The bottle 3 is the container within which the syrup, extract or thelike is shipped to the dispenser and as soon as the contents of thebottle 3 are exhausted, said bottle is removed and a filled onesubstituted therefor.

Usually the frequent handling of the bottle 3 from the time it leavesthe manufacturer of the syrup, extract or the like, until it isincorporated in the counter dispensing apparatus, results in itsbecoming soiled and unsightly. Furthermore, even when the bottle 3 isclean, it is not a particularly attractive feature of the'apparatus.

Because of these facts I have provided a shroud 7 consisting of asubstantially rectangular strip of stiff but bendable sheet materialsuch as cardboard, said strip being formed adjacent one end with slits8, one near each edge thereof, and at its opposite 'end with hook-tangs9. It will be clear that by inserting the hook-tangs 9 in the slits 8 asshown in Fig. 5, the opposite ends of the shroud strip 7 may be securelyfastened together so as toform said shroud strip into a tubularstructure which can be fitted telescopically on to the bottle 3 as shownin Fig. 1. I

The top edge portion of the shroud strip 7 is made, midway of the lengthof the latter, with a small upwardly projecting extension 10, Figs. 1and 4, to the inner side of which is fastened in any suitable manner abracket 11 of cardboard or other suitable stiff but bendable material.As shown, this bracket is secured in place by eyelets 12. The oppositeside portions of bracket 11 provide flat wings or tangs that are bentinwardly to rest edgewise upon the upper end of the bottle 3, thereby tohold the tubular shroud 7 in position on said bottle.

In Figs. 6 and 7, I have illustrated another form of'the inventionwherein the top marginal portion of the shroud strip 7a is slitted toprovide the same with tangs 11a which are bent inwardly as shown in Fig.6, so as to rest upon the top end of the bottle thereby to support theshroud 7a in position upon the latter.

WVhen the contents of the bottle 3 are about exhausted, it is removedand a full one substituted, and in order that the dispenser of thebeverage may be able to see the level of the liquid within the bottle 3when the same is nearly exhausted, I may provide sight holes 13, 5, uponthe rear side of the shroud 71), near the bottom thereof throughnear/yaw which the level of the liquid within the bottle may be observedwhen the contents are nearly exhausted.

The outside of the shroud strip 7 is made ornamental by printing orlithographing and therefore the dispensin apparatus as a whole presentsa highly attractive appearance, the bottle 3 being completely hiddenfrom view with the except-ion, perhaps, of the upper end thereof.

instead of the hook-tangs- 9 and slits 8 above referred to, I mayprovide one or more elastic bands 14, Fig. 8, each of whch ispermanently connected at 15 'with one end of the shroud strip andprovides a loop 16 adapted to separably engagea tang 17'provided at theopposite end of said shroud strip. These elastic rubber bands 14 serveas spring links connecting the opposite ends of the shroud strip therebyassisting the flat tangs or wings of bracket 11 in holding the shroud inposition upon the bottle. In this form of my invention the shroud stripmay be made of such length that when in position upon the bottle avertical slot 18 is'provided between the adjacent ends of said shroudstrip through which the level of the liquid within the bottle 3 may beobserved.

It is a fact, of course, that when my new shroud is in use it occupies aposition upon a bottle or container that is supported in an upsidedownposition yet the shroud itself occupies a right-side-up position so thatwhatever printed matter or design may be provided upon the exteriorthereof will be properly presented to view.

What I claim is:

1. A shroud of the character described consis-ting of a tubularstructure of sheet material adapted to loosely surround the body only ofan upright inverted bottle or the like and having a flat inwardly foldedvertically disposed wing adjacent its upper end to rest edgewise uponthe upper end of the bottle or the like thereby to removably 1 supportsaid structure in position thereon.

2. A shroud of the character described consisting of a tubular structureadapted to loosely surround the body only of an upri ht inverted bottleor the like; a flat inwardly extending vertically disposed wing adjacentthe upper end of said tubular structure adapted to rest edgewise uponthe upper end of the bottle or the like thereby to removably supportsaidstructure in position thereon,

said tubular structure consisting of a strip of stiif sheet material andmeans being provided for separably fastening the opposite ends of saidstrip together to fix it in tubular form.

3. A shroud of the character described consisting of a strip of stiffsheet material bendable into the form of a tube adapted to surround thebody only of an upright inverted bottle or the like, means forfasteningthe opposite ends of said strip together to fix it in tubularform, and a plurality of inwardly folded spaced apart flat Wings ofstifl" sheet material adjacent the top of said strip, said fiat Wingsbeing vertically disposed and having edgewise abutting engagement withthe upper end of said bottle or the like thereby to support the shroudin position on the latter.

Signed by me at Boston, Suffolk County, Massachusetts, this 20th day ofNovember,

HERBERT STEPHENS.

